Of Anger, Forgiveness, Love and Mischief
by arlottaness
Summary: When Loki falls at the end of Thor , someone above decides to break the rules and change the course of events. Slightly AU, disregarding Avengers. Loki OC:who's not really very OC
1. Chapter 1 A Fall

**Hello Everyone. This is a story I began writing when Thor came out, before avengers, before Loki's hair grew past attractive. So forgive the slight AU. Also, I had not done much research on Norse Mythology, so forgive me if i twist things a lot =) Also,I am now a huge Loki+Sigyn shipper, so i dont know if i will even finish this story, depends on the reviews, if ten or more people say "go for it", I will.**

* * *

**Chapter I**

In the legends and myths of the Asgardians it is written that there are beings who reside on a high plane, a realm so shrouded and ethereal that the inhabitants must be of pure consciousness. The legends say that these beings control the fates of all beings in all the realms. Watching, Guiding, orchestrating.

Voices in the darkness:

"Tell me oh one-so-full-of-care, what is it that presses so heavily on your mind that you do not join with myself and the others to observe the events of our charges?"

"The events disturb my mind. I see an imbalance in the fate of certain high forms. This, Thor, who we have so long guided, has finally found his pathway and will indeed complete what needs' be done. Yet…"

"Yet you sense an imbalance."

"Mmm... Indeed, and a great capacity for evil. I fear that one of us must intercede as has not been done in a thousand or more of our lifetimes."

"Impossible. While the pathways of the Asgardians have long been of great concern, when compared to the mortals, their lives are well placed, all pathways are intertwining as we see fit."

"Yes…YET…there remains a shadow on the edge of my mind, one that has yet to take shape."

"You speak strangely oh wise-one. Come, join the others with me."

* * *

Loki can feel the pain grab him. This is so much worse than the horrible dull ache he's felt all through his life, so much worse than the open wound of his recent actions. All this pain, inflicted by the lone eye of the man he once called father, who looked with fear and caring at his son, Thor, but when he turned to Loki, the disappointment and regret were horribly obvious.

"I could have done it, Father, I could have done it! For you, for all of us!" Loki cries, voice cracking.

"No, Loki" Odin says softly. No? That makes Loki's decision for him.

Loki looks at his brother Thor. Remembering their childhood and their bond, for a bittersweet second…and then.

He lets go.

He doesn't close his eyes. He hears Thor shouting after him. He watches as Odin pulls his brother up onto the Bifrost. He watches until they are one of the many specs of light that dance before his eyes.

Amidst the whirling atmosphere and the suction of space as it compresses and expands and flies around him, Loki could feel everything. The broken shards of the rainbow bridge sliced through the air around him. Most missed him, he was so small in all this open space, but some made contact causing him to twist and bleed. He wanted to scream, to curse and kick and fight, but soon, he began to lose himself. Lights were going out, he realized, from inside himself as well as around him. He dimly registered another Bifrost shard cutting into his side, and then he knew no more.

* * *

A voice in the darkness intones, "Rend from this usurper the power he was gifted, a burden put upon him till he be strong enough to lift it. Let a hidden challenge be planted in his breast, human heart in human chest."

Loki slowly became aware of a sharper pain than he had felt yet, a tearing that started in his chest and continued throughout his body. Still unconscious he silently screamed.

No sooner had the pain started then it ebbed away into a dull throbbing in his temples. It was with that sensation that Loki awoke with a gasp and strangled cry.

He was falling. Fast.

Air whistled in his ears and he struggled to take a breath. He barely had time to wonder at his predicament when a wall of dust rammed his body, winding him. Dust worked its way up his nose, into his mouth, stinging his eyes and skin. Loki was thrashing about trying to right himself in some way when he felt a massive object slam onto his whole body. For a split second everything was still and he took a deep dust free breath before his mind plunged into darkness once again.

* * *

In a little farmhouse on the edge of the Palouse in Oregon, Faith Anderson sat at her kitchen table reading. She mumbled to herself, taking mental notes on the book's complicated subject, _how to bake_. The hot sunlight that came streaming through the kitchen window slowly shifted, and reflected off the pages into faiths eyes. She slammed the book and shoved it across the table. Making a small, exasperated sound, she stood up and began to retrieve a number of ingredients from various cabinets.

After a few tedious hours she finally had put the strange looking concoction in the oven and sat down in a huff. "God, I'll never be any good at this." She said to the air. She looked at the clock, 4:25.

Gramps was late, she thought. What on earth could be keeping him? She walked across the room and leaned out the back door, pushing aside the creaky screen. In the distance she could she a green pickup rolling down the road, with a cloud of dust in its wake. She chuckled. Grandma always said he brought a handmade hurricane with him wherever he drove.

Faith hopped down the back stairs to wait for him. It was several minutes before he finally rolled up to a stop next to the house. Faith frowned, something was off. He was driving much too fast,

"What's wrong?" She asked as she bounded round to the driver side. Gramps look like he'd seen a ghost.

"A...a…feller…some… man, he fell outta the heavens right before my eyes, Faith!" He yelled, slightly out of breath.

"OK, slow down, grandpa, what exactly happened?" Faith was amused, but worried at the same time.

"Well, it was like this, I was comin' home after work today when I passed by neighbor Herman's empty field, ya know the one, all dusty n' misused? Well I'm about half way passed it when outta nowhere, there comes this twister! Just materialized! Right outta the sky, like it was set on going straight threw the earth to china! And then it was gone! Just like that! And, in the middle of it all, I see's this feller, all caught up in the whirlin' n' swirlin' mess! Yellin' and kickin' and then he was on the ground, and I was slammin' on the brakes, and runnin' to him and he weren't movin', and I didn't touch him, like I see's on TV you're not supposed to touch 'em when they fall, so I puts my hat over his face to keep off the sun, and I rushes back here to get you!" He says in one breath, his eyes wide and nervous.

Faith stood there stunned for a moment, and then flew into action. "Alright, grab some water from the fridge, I'll get the first aid kit up stairs, and some blankets too, if he's really hurt we might have to take him to the hospital in Greenville." She yells as she sprints up the stairs and through the house, hoping that the man was even alive.

Within five minutes they are on the road again, with gramps pushing the little pickup to its limits. Ten minutes pass, and soon they are pulling up alongside a huge empty field, mostly dirt with small tuffs of weeds here and there. Faith springs out of the truck with the first aid kit and water bottles. She can see the form of someone lying way out in the dust.

"Gramps bring the blankets and hurry!" she yells and runs towards the figure.

"Oooh my god." She whispers, and kneels next to the young man. "_What the hell_," she thinks, what is he dressed in?! The man was pale, with long black hair caked with dirt. He was clad in black leather pants, heavy boots, and what looked to Faith like medieval armor. He was beautiful and frightening, but Faith barely registered it as she looked him over. His armor had once been wonderfully inscribed and his green robes intricately embroidered, but now they were both twisted and ripped, and dirty with blood and rock and dust. She takes his pulse.

"Oh thank god he's still breathing…Gramps, do you have your pocket knife?" she says holding her hand out. He jogs over and hands it to her. She then proceeds to cut away the tangle heavy cloth and leather from his chest. She flings the bits and pieces away and then cuts away the shredded legs of his pants. She checks for broken bones and blushes when she realizes he's about her age, but she shakes it off.

"Gramps, I'm pretty sure we can move him, he doesn't seem to have any broken bones." She says over her shoulder

"Aaaaggh…uuhhh." Faith jumps and gramps looks startled when the man moans and coughs up dirt. Faith grabs a bottle of water and holds the man's head up to it. He doesn't register it, merely coughs some more, eyes still closed. She pours some water into his mouth, but he only drinks a little before he slumps back down again.

Faith and Gramps spread out a blanket and manage to maneuver the young man onto it. Then the struggle to get him onto the back of the pickup starts. After nearly dropping him four or five times and thumping his legs against the bumper once or twice, they finally manage to lay him down. Faith hops up onto the back and puts the man's head in her lap.

"Let's go Gramps, I'll ride back here so he doesn't knock around, but we have to get home quick, some of his cuts are still bleeding." She says with a concerned look at the man's increasingly bloody thigh.

Gramps gets in and they head off down the dirt road. When they hit a few bumps Faith pulls the man's upper body across her lap, cradling his head in the crook of her arm. She studies his face, wiping dirt away from his mouth and eyes with the edge of her t-shirt. His features were sharp and thin but attractive, almost fair.

"I imagine his eyes are blue. Like ice…" she thought.

* * *

Loki slowly opens his eyes. His whole body is sore, and his head is pounding. His vision is blurry at first and then he becomes aware of someone speaking. To him it seems.

"Alright, you're almost all stitched up. Your hip and thigh look a bit like a quilt, but you'll definitely live."

He glances down at his body. A blonde head is bowed over his torso and he can feel gentle hands pressing on his hip.

He struggles to sit up. Sparkling blue eyes snap up and widen at him, startled. He pushes the small woman off of him and stumbles off the table he'd been lying on. She moves towards him but he raises a hand defensively and she stills.

"Don't come any closer girl. Where am I? What have you done to me?" he rasps, breathing heavily.

A little scared, but mostly intrigued by the man's demanding presence, she answers, "Ok, ok, calm down. Sir, what's your name, I'm Faith...I -"

"Silence. You'll answer my questions first please." Loki growled.

"Excuse me? You are in _my_ home and you better calm the heck down or you'll bust your stitches, which is the only thing I've done _to_ you except get you out of the sun and probably save your pale butt from bleeding out and drying up like a raison." Faith huffed; hand on her hip, and the other pointing a hooked needle at Loki.

Surprised at her reaction he put his hands down and takes a step back. "I apologize miss. I… I'm not, really… quite…" He became distracted by a dull pain in his side and his head began throbbing in earnest.

"Here, sit down here." Faith turned and pulled out one of the kitchen chairs.

"I'm alright." Loki said putting a hand on the bandages covering his chest and abdomen. "Why am I covered in white cloth?" he raised an eyebrow at Faith.

"Sit down and I'll tell you." She said sitting down in the chair across from his and crossed her arms. She mimicked his suspicious face. She wondered why he questioned the bandages she had painstakingly placed on him. She had gagged as she stitched up the finger length gash below his hip.

Begrudgingly, Loki took his seat. "Tell me then."

"Alright, well, my granddad was driving home from work this afternoon when he saw you, caught up in a cyclone. He rushed back here and got me. You were pretty banged up. No bones broken amazingly. We figured the twister must have picked you up somewhere and dropped you in the field where we found you…so… we fixed you up, well, I fixed you up mostly." She gave him a soft smile.

Loki stared at her, astonished. How had he come to be here, what realm was this, and how had he survived a fall to another realm at all!

"Where is here?" he asked, turning his head slightly to take in the room. It was a quintessential country kitchen, but to Loki it was baffling.

"Um, the edge of Oregon. Where are you from, further north I suppose?" she said sounding equally confused.

"Oregon?" he thought for a moment and then he closed his eyes sighing. "Please, don't tell me I'm in Midgard."

"Mid-Gard? What, no you're in America buddy." Faith started to get worried, if he'd hit his head and had brain damage, they had to take him into Greensville right away.

"No!" He slammed his fist on the table, making faith flinch. "Earth, how and…why. Aaaaghhh." He made an angry sound in the back of his throat and put his face in his hands.

Faith leaned forward on her elbows, very worried now. "Let's start this over. Hi-I'm-Faith-Anderson-nice-to-meet-you-what's-your-name?"

The man looked up at her, eyes boring into hers, full of pain so obvious it made Faith shiver. He looked down at his hands. "Loki...Laufeyson." He spit the words out like they tasted terrible.

Loki, what a strange name. "Ok Loki," she smiled at the rhyme, "where are you from?"

"The realm of Asgard." He said proudly, raising his chin.

"Is that in Europe or something?" said faith, wide eyed.

"Ha. No." Loki looked over her shoulder and said no more.

"Does, ahem, does your head hurt Loki?" she asked in a small voice. Faith didn't like how irrelevant he made her feel. When his eyes met hers again it was her that looked away first.

"Faith," He said slowly.

"Yeah?"

"Something is burning."

She looked at him confused for a second, then gasped,

"OhmyGodthecake!"

* * *

**Please Review! It will allow for much excitement on my part! Thanks for reading! TA!**


	2. Chapter 2 A Place to Stay

**Reviews count ladies and gentlemen, please drop a comment! =)**

* * *

**Chapter II**

It was almost seven when Gramps returned from town. He hung up his hat and wandered into the living room. "Faith," He whispered hoarsely, "Faith, where are ya."

"Right here." He spun around to see the small blonde hunched over a pile of dirty cloth spread out on the coffee table.

"I got the list of things you wanted. So where's the strange feller then? Did you get him patched up?"

"Shh," Faith gestured for him to sit down next her on the sofa. "Thanks, and yes I did, and he should be completely fine."

"Where's he got to then? And what're you staring at a pile of rubbish for anyhow?"

"It's not rubbish; it's his clothes, well what's left of them. They're just, so strange, I can't imagine…"Faith cupped her chin in her hand and glanced over at the stairway.

"Hm, well I s'pose he was just all done up for some fancy costume party or he's an actor who got lost." Gramps nodded theorizing.

"He says it's what everyone wears where he's from, it's his "Battle Attire" he says." Said Faith, raising her eyebrows meaningfully.

"Where he's from, just where's that then?"

"A place called Asgard. Oh, and get this, it's not on earth. But that's just a minor detail; we should be able to get him home soon. I'm sure NASA will be happy to give him a lift."

"Asgard?!" Gramps eyes widened and he stared for a minute, shocked. "He's an alien then? A man from space! Oh this is something else! Boy your Gran woulda loved to have been here for this!" Gramps stood up with excitement and clapped his hands.

"No, no, grandpa he's not an alien, don't be ridiculous, he's just a man who's a bit confused because he just _flew through a freaking twister_!" Faith whispered, slowly getting to her feet.

But the old man was far too excited to listen as he shuffled a little circle around the room. "Oh your Gran and I have always believed there were others out there, creatures or people or somethin'. Some nights we used to lay out on the porch and count the lights up there imaginin' which ones were spaceships and which ones were planets with people like ours!"

Faith grinned. She missed how excited her gramps used to get when gran was still around to fill his head with her wild imagination.

"Oh my, I've gotta talk to the little guy. Where you say you put him?" he said becoming serious.

Faith snorted. "He's not so little, he's way taller than either of us. He'd just went upstairs when you got home. I gave him a t-shirt of mine and a pair of your old jeans to put on, since his clothes will probably never be worn again." She shook her head at the dejected looking pile of scraps.

"It's no matter." Came the smooth voice of their visitor. Man and girl both turned to the stairway to look at the speaker.

Loki stood at the bottom of the stairs feeling very awkward and self-conscious. The jeans were stiff and much too large for his narrow hips, and he had them bunched in one hand. The t-shirt on the other hand, Loki had decided to like. It was soft. And green.

Faith stared at him, mouth hanging open. He looked completely out of place in the clothes she'd given him. He was too tall, and, Faith blushed, too regal for a t-shirt and jeans.

But Gramps looked ecstatic. He grasped Loki's other hand and shook it vigorously, causing him to pull his hand away in alarm, almost releasing his grip on his pants.

"What's your name then son?" Gramps asked, looking him over and stepping even closer.

"Loki." He said in unison with Faith. She smiled and he looked worriedly back to the man who was curiously walking around him now, quite set on the interesting look of his hair.

"You a rock star or somethin'? Or just one of them hippies?" Gramps chuckled pointing at his hair and giving Faith a funny look. She returned it with a look that read "shut up or I'll clock you one."

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean sir." He said, peeved that this little old man was making fun of him.

"Ignore him; he thinks a buzz cut is the way to go." Faith giggled as her gramps stood a little straighter.

"I see." Loki was only more confused than ever. If he could have his way he would still be floating around in space or lying in the dirt. That's what he deserved. That's why he'd let go back there. He just wanted to sit down and have a good sulk; instead he was having to put up with this comical pair. His "saviors".

Faith could see he was uncomfortable with the scrutiny. "Gramps, you think you could get some tomatoes from out back. I'll make a salad with supper." She smiled sweetly and widened her eyes.

Gramps got the message and reluctantly shuffled out. When she heard the screen door swing shut Faith turned back to Loki. He was staring off into space, his head hanging slightly.

"Loki," She pulled him from his reverie. "Do you want to sit down; I could get you something to drink or…something." She looked at him curiously. They had talked for a while when he'd first woken up but she didn't think either of them really got much out of it. She'd been too nervous with this dark, handsome stranger, and he'd been too agitated about being on earth.

"Yes. Thank you." He answered and sat down in the large blue armchair by the fireplace.

Faith got them each a glass of water from the fridge and sat down on the end of the couch, setting the glasses on the coffee table next to his pile of clothing.

"Here," she handed him a glass. He took it, still sullen, and still gazing off into nowhere. "Sorry about your clothes. And about not having anything better for you. Gramps only wears those baggy jeans. Or overalls but you don't strike me as the type to throw on a pair of overalls." She gives in a shy smile, trying to encourage a conversation, but he only glanced at her for moment and replied, "No, its all fine."

* * *

After a somewhat tense supper, with conversation being pretty much one sided, Gramp's side that is, Faith just wanted to flop down on her bed and sleep.

Loki had been polite, but quiet, pulling himself out of his thoughts to answer the old man's questions but taking no interest in the conversation. The girl had watched him and added a soft comment here and there, but he was too tired to notice. When the meal was finished he asked to be shown where he might spend the night.

"Oh, he can take my room; I'll sleep on the couch!" Gramps smiled. Faith looked warily at Loki. She didn't feel very comfortable knowing he would be right across the hall from her, but it was only polite she thought.

"Is that alright with you?" she asked him, getting a little impatient to turn in for the night.

"Yes. Thank you. Will you show me to my chambers?"

"Yeah." She sighed. She was getting used to the funny way he talked. It would've been charming, if he didn't seem so…down. He followed her upstairs and they stood in the doorway of her grandpa's room.

"Well, if you need anything, just call. I'm…right through there." She left him standing just inside the room.

Faith threw herself across her bed and took a deep breath. I was clear to her that something had happened to him, something worse than getting beat up by a rogue twister. No one in their right mind would look so utterly depressed to have survived a freak storm. That is, if he _was_ in his right mind. She wondered about that, but something told her he was, and that he was telling the truth about where he came from too. _Which is utterly ridiculous_, she berated herself, _right_? It _was_ ridiculous to think that aliens could possibly be so attractive…and human-looking. Who was she kidding; at this point she'd believe anything he said solely because he didn't seem able to make the effort to lie.

Then again he could be some psycho-alien-rapist who would kill her in her sleep and skin her or something. And she'd just told him where she slept. On impulse she jumped up and locked her door. When she finally got in bed, she was still thinking about the strange young man sleeping fifteen feet away.

* * *

At that moment, that same man was feeling very strange indeed. He had lied down on the bed, on top of the covers and stared at the ceiling. What an impossible situation he was in. Questions swirled through his mind, mingling with the pain and depression. It seemed like minutes ago that he had lost everything he'd ever know. His family, his home, his own body, that seemed to have deceived him. Who was he anyway; a fatherless, race-less boy with no future, whose past seemed all a lie. Whose rage and frustration had caused him to become blind and throw away everything he had. He blamed Thor, and Odin, and Laufey, and his mother. _His mother. _He remembered her face when she had told him he was the king. She had been so loving in those moments, so like herself. In the face of everything crumbling around them she had shown him a mother's love. And what had he done? Become greedy and vengeful, allowing his pent up hatred and confusion to rule him. He couldn't say he would've done differently given the chance. It was his nature. The God of mischief. That was what the mortals called him. Trickster, magician, sly-one, cunning-illusionist.

Fraud. That was what the Asgardian court called him behind his back, the boy who's too small and weak to fight, so he tricks his enemy into falling. Pathetic. Odin's second boy-child was a failure.

Loki turned over on his side. At first when he had found he had the talent of magic and illusion he'd been so excited, finally he had something that Thor didn't. He loved to practice his tricks and spells. He was so good at it too. If only Odin hadn't been so happy when Thor won his first tournament, if only he'd been a bit happier when Loki had shown him he could turn himself into different animals.

But this was all in the past, and now Loki was at a loss. Where was he going to go? He hadn't been expecting to survive. That's why he'd let go. He hated what he was and wanted it to end. Maybe that would please them, he'd thought. Oh, he had so many questions. Number one was how had he survived, and number two was why did he feel so fragile, so paper thin and weak.

It took all his leftover determination to roll himself up in the blankets and close his eyes. That was all he wanted anyway, to feel nothing. Sleep.

Though, neither he nor Faith got much sleep that night.

* * *

The next morning was Saturday, and while Faith normally slept in as late as she could, this morning she was up and out of bed the moment she smelled the coffee. She pulled on a t- shirt and a pair of shorts and tiptoed past the room that Loki was in. Although this was pointless since he was the first person she saw when she entered the kitchen. He was at the table, staring into a mug. Gramps was busy scrambling eggs and buttering a big plate of toast, creating a general hum as he shuffled along the counter. Faith rubbed her eyes as she sat down opposite Loki.

"Hi'ya. How'd you sleep?" she smiled, and tried to look cheery, but her heart wasn't in it.

Loki looked up. There were dark circles under his eyes and several of his bandages had fallen off in the night. "Good morning. I slept well thank you." And he added as an afterthought, "And you?"

"Huh, well you look awful, so I don't believe you. And I slept fine thanks." Faith chuckled grimly, cradling the cup of tea gramps set down in front of her.

"Aw don't pester the poor boy, Faith; my bed's hard as rocks. And it's too early in the morning to be chipper" Gramps said, beaming, looking like the poster-boy for early morning energy. He put two plates of eggs down, one in front of each young person, and placed the giant plate of toast in between them.

"Well I've got to be off; Jim's called in sick this morning so I gotta cover for him. I'll be back around one, darling." And he kissed Faiths temple and strode out the door.

For a moment Faith wondered if he'd left the two alone on purpose, but decided he wouldn't do that.

"You don't like the coffee, huh." She observed.

"Sorry? Oh, no I don't really care for it no." He said, eyeing the mugs steaming contents.

"Yeah, I'm not a huge fan either. Would you like some tea instead?"

"Yes. I'd like that." Faith saw him look as pleasant as he had yet, but it still wasn't a smile.

She began to prepare his tea. "So, I guess we should discuss getting you home then… what?" She turned to watch his reaction and was surprised when he looked alarmed.

"It's just; I don't plan on ever going home. And the last time I was on this planet you all didn't have a means for travelling between realms."

"You don't want to go home?" Faith sat down slowly, letting the water boil.

"No. I don't. And they don't want me back either." He said in a monotone voice.

It was clear to Faith that this might be a tricky subject. "They?"

"My father and brother. And I'm guessing the Jotuns wouldn't be too fond if I returned."

She looked at him, bewildered, and tried to just go with it. "So, if you were to return…?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if I was killed somehow." Loki met her eyes. She looked at him with shock and pity he thought. He didn't need this stupid little girl's pity; he was rightful King of Asgard. She should be bowing before him.

Faith mistook his fierce glare for anger towards his family, so she was really surprised when she reached to pat his arm that he stood abruptly, knocking the chair back and slamming his fist on the table.

"Don't you dare to _pity me_, you _pathetic_ mortal. I was a _King_! I would have led Asgard better than my Father ever has and Thor ever could! They should have given me the respect I deserved! I would have proved myself their equal. _They should have seen me as there_ equal! Thor would have destroyed the Jotuns with his bare hands and Odin slaughtered thousands of them in battle! My victory would have been glorious, Father would have seen that! I was always _so_ much cleverer than Thor, yet he was always the favorite, from the beginning." He was pacing the kitchen at this point, having tossed the chair into the living room. He seemed to calm down a bit, but then he growled, "He shouldn't have let me suffer like that! He should have told me what I was! A beast, a bogeyman who parents tell their children about to keep them from mischief, a _monster._" He spat the last word and stormed out the back door slamming the screen after him.

Faith sat there for a moment, stunned, letting it all sink in. Well _he_ had some daddy a minute, she thought, pity? Pathetic mortal? Who did this guy think he was? Well, a king apparently. Faith stood up and stopped the whistling kettle. Pathetic. How dare he call her that when HE was the one running about wearing a ridiculous amount of leather and saying he was an alien, a _king_ alien.

She ran out the door after him. She could hear her grans voice in the back of her mind telling her to reign in her wild temper, but she just kept marching towards the figure of Loki, who was pacing along the back fence.

"Hey, Mister Glorious!" she shouted as she drew nearer. "Don't think you can call me pathetic in my own kitchen, barely a day after I scraped you off of the ground and practically saved your life! Who the hell do you think you are!" she stood less than a foot in front of him, blocking his path, feet spread, and hands on her hips.

"I am Loki son of Kings, born of Laufey of Jotunheim, raised by Odin All father of Asgard, wielder of magic and God among mortals, damn you!" He hissed. His face inches away from hers, his hands in fists at his side.

"Well big-flipping-news your majesty, _you're_ in this realm now, and all that matters to me is what I see and hear, and so far I see a gangly, greasy, ungrateful, disrespectful loser, and let's just, for a second, say I believe all that nonsense about realms and glory and magic, and I do dammit, because no one could possibly _pretend_ to be such an idiot!" Faith yelled, poking him in the chest for emphasis.

For a minute she thought he was going to strike her, but instead he whirled around and stalked off across the field behind the house. "HA." Faith yelled after him, as she strode back to the house, once again slamming the poor screen door.


	3. Chapter 3 A Friend

**Chapter III**

An hour or so passed. Faith had gone and sat in her room and made an attempt at reading, but she couldn't stop the little feeling of guilt from creeping up on her. Why did she always need to prove herself as good as anyone else? Now that she thought about it, his rant had sounded a lot like the little kids she took care of at her part time job. Working at a kindergarten taught one a lot about tantrums, and that was exactly what she had just observed. He wasn't mad at her really; he was just taking out his anger at his family. She should have been more understanding, she thought. After all, she knew what it was like to be abandoned by one's family.

She took another deep breath, and put her book down. What was really sticking to her was that part of his speech where he'd practically called himself a monster. What was that all about? A beast? Who was he kidding; he looked nothing like a beast. She doubted if he even had chest hair. She giggled. This was ridiculous. Who was _she_ kidding; her temper had always been her downfall. She should go apologize. Well, she should, but she was going to let him do that, before her anyway. She reopened her book and finally started to read.

* * *

Loki sat with his back against a tree, staring off into space. He'd been doing this a lot recently, he thought. For the past hour or so he had been trying to calm himself and form some way of approaching his inevitable future. Not that what was in his future was inevitable, as of now he had no idea what that was. No, it was inevitable that he had a future within which he could make plans.

He rarely let his anger reveal itself in such wild demonstrations as he just had. He chose to assess and evaluate his emotions, somewhat like a scientist, and weigh the pros and cons of the various ways he could act upon said emotions. He'd become used to this his whole life. Keeping the hurt locked away, packing away every new surge of feeling, storing them up in a cabinet in his soul. He let the contents of this cabinet come flying out when he discovered his true parentage. He had been nearly blinded by the stream of impulses.

When he was young it was simple. Thor fought most of his battles for him, defending him from the cruel words of other Asgardian children. A good beating stopped each tormenter for a time. It was the way of young boys, punch each other into accordance, but Loki never was one for physical violence. So Thor saw to it that those who teased and taunted would go home black and blue. When they were older, Loki had learned he had the talent for sorcery and magic, and an eloquent and witty tongue, and so fought his battles with these. But, just like being defended by his older brother, using magic and trickery was a double edged sword, opening him up for even more ridicule, suspicion and contempt.

Thor would say they were jealous, but Loki never really believed that. While being strong for his size, and limber, he held no love of fighting. The Asgardians valued strength and bravery in battle, less so cunning of mind, and most were uneasy about his abilities. Unlike any other Asgardians, he could change and multiply his form, cast illusions and spells and, little known to others, control minds if he really tried. Perhaps they were jealous, more likely they were repulsed, he thought. All this should have been an indicator, he should have suspected, he should have seen the evidence. He wasn't of Asgard at all, he was of Jotun blood.

When he and Thor were children, they used to love to listen to their father and uncles tell stories of their battles and adventures across the nine realms. And most frightening of all were the stories of the Frost Giants, huge, disgusting, blue beasts, who would impale you on icy-spears with their bare hands, or freeze you to death slowly. Cruel, vicious creatures, which would devour you sooner than look at you. Thor had taken great delight in frightening some of their female cousins with retelling of frost giant tales.

And this is what he was. A creature he had grown up despising and fearing. What irony and what punishment. For being a failure, he thought. But how could his father have allowed him to grow up despising the Jotunns when all along he knew he was one!

Loki pushed all these thoughts to the back of his mind. It was almost impossible for him to trap them away now. They were free, and they were his tormentors. He thought again of how he let his frustration go at the girl. What did she say her name was? He really should have her as an ally here, and maybe he felt a little guilty. But she had fought with him! How her eyes had flashed with indignation! He had to admit he hadn't expected it from such a small mortal.

He debated returning to the house to speak with her, his curiosity about her almost getting the best of him. But no, he thought, she had no reason to be angry with him. Loki leaned his head back and closed his eyes. She would make peace with him in time.

* * *

Gramp's shift at the mechanics, where he worked every day, was done and he was rattling along the dirt road in his little green pickup. His mind was set on gears and engines, when he noticed someone sitting against a tree not far from the edge of the road. He recognized him, and pulled over.

The boy was facing down the road, the way gramps had been driving, and he had his eyes shut, head back.

What was he doing here? Gramps had hoped that leaving him and Faith alone would let her cheer him up a little, Faith had a good way with people, and pretty women were always better at dealing with men right?

"Hey there…son," he called, walking over to stand near him, "what're you doin' way out here?"

Loki opened his eyes slowly. "Thinking. Your granddaughter didn't allow me to stay in the house in peace."

"What? She kick you out? What did you do?" gramps chuckled.

"I believe I angered her." Loki glared at the ground.

"Oooh, well, that wouldn't be too tough I s'pose. But it's just as easy to get her back on your side you know, if you speak reason she'll listen. She might have a hot head, but its level, I'll tell ya."

Loki stood up slowly. He had walked farther from the house than he'd thought, and was sore all over, and several more of his bandages had come loose. "Yes…I think I require her assistance."

"Well, get in the truck and we'll have you two makin' up in no time." Gramps said with a smile, turning to walk back to the car.

"I am sorry I upset her." Loki called, suddenly and genuinely contrite.

"Aw well, tell her that. I'm sure it's nothing you can't fix." Gramps waved him over.

Loki eyed the rattling contraption in front of him. "It's not going to explode is it?" he looked through the window incredulously.

"Naw. Get in, get in."

"Hmm." Loki looked a bit repulsed, but got in anyway. Within minutes he developed a dislike for motor vehicles.

* * *

Faith heard the pickup pull up alongside the house. At first she was going to rush down stairs to meet gramps, but felt suddenly shy when she looked out her window and saw Loki get out of the truck. Darn him, he was handsome. She sat back down on her bed. Why had she ever yelled?

A few minutes past and gramps entered the room. "Hey, Hun you in here?"

She rolled over, "yeah I'm here."

"The boy's down stairs, askin' for ya." Gramps winked.

"No he's not! He's mad at me." Faith laughed.

"Well, you wanna tell me why you ran our guest out of the house?" he sat down on the end of the mattress.

"He called me a pathetic mortal, and he said he didn't want my pity…and how we should be worshipping him as king because he's a god or sum such." Faith ended in a grumble.

Gramps raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

"He was screaming, grampa, about his father and brother, about how he might be killed if he goes home…"

"He scared you."

"A little yeah, but I just blew up in his face about the pathetic part, I mean, after how we've been helping him!"

"So, what you're sayin' is, you got mad when he took out his fears on you, which made you scared and mad, which made you yell, so you two fought."

"Geez. Gramps."

"Well? I am I right? Did you even try to calm him down?"

"No, and I'm not happy about that ok? I feel bad. But I don't pity, him, that's nonsense. I don't even know his story really." She looked down at her feet. "I'd give him the chance." She whispered.

"Well, I'm gonna go work out in the garden, if you catch my meaning, you should go tend to his wounds." Gramps leaned forward, wiggling his eyebrows dramatically.

* * *

She waited till he'd gone, then started down the stairs, and almost bumped into Loki, who was coming up them.

"Oh. I was just gonna look for you, gramps said you needed something." Faith stepped back into the hall letting Loki step up next to her. He was a whole head taller than her. Faith stared dead ahead…her nose level with his collarbone.

"Yes. Your Grandfather suggested I ask you to help me with the cut on my forehead."

She glanced up. Huge, sad blue eyes looked down at her. She couldn't help the blush that crept up her neck. Then, something snapped.

It was in those eyes, his sad eyes, that Faith felt the first pang of something inside her. She could hear things, his voice, mixed up confused words, those of a scared child craving something he couldn't find. In his eyes she had seen things that scared her, not horrible things, but the fact that they were played out in front of her in his eyes, like moving photographs, and splashes of color. Smells and sounds hummed in her ears and she felt something smooth brush along her forearm. The hairs on her neck stood on end and her blush deepened. She felt like she was flying, she felt invincible, and it scared the breath out of her…

Her eyes, the darkest blue he'd ever seen. They were like sapphires glinting in the setting that was her face. Cream colored skin framed by golden hair, offset those gems, the windows to her soul. Loki felt the rush that accompanied the rare times when he could read and control minds, but he was powerless to it, he had no control over himself. His charade of arrogance and strength crashed around him and he felt, like a wave strokes the shore, accepted. He saw in her eyes that his deck of cards would be fairly dealt and his to play. No preconceptions or prejudices. His fate with her lay in his hands, and was his book to write. This information made him feel as if he were the tallest, strongest man in all the nine realms, he felt like…a king. And then it was over.

Loki looked at the ceiling so quickly his neck cracked, and Faith took a great interest in the baseboards. She knew her face must be red as a tomato.

"Follow me." She almost whispered, walking quickly down to the end of the hallway, entering the bathroom.

She took the first aid kit down out of the medicine cabinet, and got out an assortment of bandages.

When she turned around he was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, examining the floor tiles.

"Okay, just point where the bandages fell off and I'll help you replace them." Faith let herself smile at him.

"Would it not be easier, I mean if you have such a thing, to use some healing stones?" Loki asked watching her sort through the small white packages.

"Healing stones, no I don't think we have those here, what are they?" she cocked her head to the side, curious.

He smiled slightly, faith beamed. "They are stones…and they heal." Faith laughed gleefully. "No! Really, explain, I want to know about where you come from."

"I thought you didn't believe I was from another realm, that I was just some guy who was a little confused because I'd just flown through a, pardon me, freaking? Twister."

She blanched. "You heard that"

"I did. I suppose it's a logical assumption… for a mortal." He made an innocent face.

Faith grinned and pulled the sticky paper off a Band-Aid. "You sorta smiled for a second there." She said, leaning over to stick it on his forehead.

"Yes I suppose I did, why, does that please you?" he raised his eyebrows interfering with her ministrations.

"Relax your face please," she maneuvered another Band-Aid into place. "Well, it doesn't make me especially happy; I've just been interested in seeing the state of your teeth." She shrugged.

"Oh dear, was that an attempt at wit? Best stick to baking." Loki grinned.

Faith rolled her eyes. "I'll make you a pie." She reached for the butterfly bandages. "Let's take a look at that gash on your hip.

Loki stood, tucking the hem of the t-shirt under his arm and pulling the jeans down an inch or two. Faith gently removed the gauze and inspected the injury. "Well, it looks much better than yesterday. I hope the stiches work though, that's the largest cut I've had to work on. I've done some on gramps, we live four or five hours from the nearest hospital, so I learned"

Looking up, she saw his face had gone neutral. "Does it hurt?"

He didn't answer.

"So, these healing stones," she began to clean around the stiches. "Better than Band-Aids, huh?"

Loki nodded. "Yes. They are grey and smooth, like some of the pebbles I saw along your road. One takes some in hand, once they are heated by fire, and crushes them into a powder, sprinkling the dust over open wounds. It heals within seconds."

"You can crush rocks…with your hands."

"I wouldn't call it easy, but yes I can." He grinned down at her.

"Geez." She put some antibiotic on the stiches and new gauze to cover it.

Loki put his shirt down. "I'm able to do much more than any mortal man, Faith."

She felt like giggling, but instead she grinned and said, "You'll have to show me."

"Is that a challenge milady?" He mimicked shock.

She chuckled, "You bet, sir."

* * *

Faith glanced over at Loki and grinned. He obviously hated being in the car. They were bumping along the road heading into town to get Loki some new clothes. She hummed to herself, enjoying the breeze.

Loki looked at her. They had the window open to let the wind into the stuffy little vehicle, and it was playing tag with waves of faith's shoulder length hair. Her face was profile to him, and he noted how different her face was from any other girl he'd ever seen.

Not that he'd had very many encounters with females in the past; he'd been too obsessed with his magic. As he'd grown older several women of the Asgardian court had been interested in him, but he hadn't noticed until Thor had teased him for his blindness in matters of the opposite sex.

The two women he was closest to were his mother, Queen Frigg, and the Lady Sif. He thought his mother the most beautiful of the court, gracious, and gentle. She had round, soft features. And the Lady Sif, well, he had never really been in her favor. She used to pick on him and beat him up when they were little, and though she was fair of face, she acted too much like a gentleman for Loki to really think of her as female.

The ladies of the court put on such airs and graces that sometimes even Thor grew weary of their company. They all looked much the same as well; tall, proud, and most were buxom. Faith, she was different. She was small, natural. She had a wide forehead and a turned up nose, but her huge, dark blue eyes were soft, and her mouth seemed always in a smile.

They had sat in silence for a while, but Faith decided to break it, she worried her curiosity would make her burst if she didn't.

"So, since I'm about to show you what it's like around here, tell me more about what it's like in your world." She said shifting in the driver's seat, noticing Loki had been watching her.

"What do you wish to know?"

"Um, what does your home look like?" she asked, shrugging.

"My home was the palace," he said taking a deep breath. "It looks like a golden wave when the suns rise. It stands in the center of Asgard, pillars of gold surrounding it on all sides. Well, it's very impressive, but it _was_ also my home." He said wistfully.

"Yeah no kidding, it sounds amazing!"

"It was. My chambers had large grey doors, I had inscribed with runes, and they read out one of my favorite poems. I had my bed chambers, and my workroom, where I practiced…my…" Loki looked out the corners of his eyes.

"Your…what?" Faith raised her eyebrows.

"Skills?" He said finally

"I…don't want to…pry," Faith said softly.

"No! I mean, no it's fine. What more do you want to know?" Loki felt incredibly torn. Some part of him was begging him to tell her everything, confide in her and cry to her, but he _would not_. He absolutely would not do that!

"Alright, I'm just going to ask, 'because I've just got a feeling you need to talk about it, what did your dad do to you?" Faith spoke quietly, but unapologetically. She hoped she hadn't made him mad again. She had been hoping to ask him about it, ever since she had seen things through his eyes. Literally. It still made her uneasy to think those images, sounds and things had been more than her imagination.

Loki sighed. Man up, he told himself. "It turned out that the man I thought to be my father had really kidnapped me as a baby, from another King, a frost Giant, a Jotunn, who he had defeated in battle."

She didn't say anything for a second, Loki wondered if he had actually spoken, but then she said, "So your whole life you've loved a man who is a kidnapper?" she looked over at him. He nodded.

"Damn. What a bastard." She said. Raw hate tinged her voice. "What, uh, what did you do when you found out?"

"Do you want to know the truth? It may shock you; midgardians… don't behave the way we do."

"Hey, look, I've accepted that your…not from earth_, I can't believe I said that_, but don't insult my intelligence again ok?" Faith gripped the wheel.

She looked him full on, then spoke quietly, "When I was ten my parents abandoned me, just left me on the porch of my grandmother's house. I had never even met her. I…was later told that I wasn't well. I had some mental issues apparently." Faith was nervous, she didn't know why she was even talking, she hadn't told anyone this. She exhaled, "And when I found out my parents weren't coming back, well I, broke things, and screamed at everyone I saw, attacked my gramps once or twice, and even tried to kill myself, so whatever you did, it's not going to seem that scary to me alright?" she breathed a little harder and kept her eyes on the road.

Loki thought this over for a minute, shocked, then said. "When I discovered the truth of my birth, that I was of Jotunn blood, and a bastard child, I told my real father that I would let him come and kill Odin where he slept, defenseless. When the Jotunns came I killed them, my true father included. If my brother had not managed to survive the killer I sent to destroy him and returned from earth to stop me, I would have wiped out their entire race. And become king. Instead Thor, my onetime brother, destroyed the bridge between the realms and as we struggled, I let go."

Faith's expression was unreadable, though she looked hard at him. "You let go?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"I fell to earth."

"Yeah I guessed."

They sat in silence for a long time. Finally faith spoke. "That's…what you just told me; that's hard for me to understand, I'll admit. But I just can't see… I can't be scared of you. You say you're a killer, that you're a monster? I don't know... I believe you, but I'm not scared… I've… always had a really good sense for people… You don't scare me. Maybe I'm an idiot, but… I know what fear and anger can do to a person, how it makes you act…it doesn't mean your guiltless but, I just," she looked at him. "I feel you." She half-grinned. "If you know what I mean." she shook her head. What a ridiculous speech. _I'm not scared of you_. He probably was scared of her now. _Thinks I'm off my rocker probably_, she thought.

"We are of like mind then, Faith. I too, feel you?" Loki raised an eyebrow. What strange colloquialisms they had here.

She looked a little shocked then smiled. "Yep, we are." She nodded.

They sat in comfortable silence until they turned onto a paved road, and came in sight of the town. Only four or five main blocks and some surrounding houses made up the village of Umpamine Oregon.

Faith drove down the main street, pointing out the various buildings and what they were. She parked and the got out next to the town's only shopping center, consisting of an ice cream parlor, a farm goods store, a Salvation Army and a McDonalds.

Faith led Loki into the Salvation Army. The bell on the door jingled, and while he would never show it, Loki felt complete and total unease. Yet, eyes wide, he sauntered next to Faith, as they made their way to the men's section.

Faith stopped by a rack of trousers. "Ok, so what's your size?"

Loki looked at her blankly. "You can see me before you; my size is as you see it."

"_Right_. Ok then we'll just have to eyeball it…oh just pick out a few you like and we'll go from there." She said, moving on to a round rack of dress shirts.

_He's not a t-shirt and jeans boy_, thought faith. "Hey, so what are you gonna do with yourself after this? You need to get a job; I guess you'll be staying with us though." _Gramps wouldn't have it any other way_, she chuckled.

Loki picked up several pairs of black trousers off the rack and eyed them in turn. Midgardian clothes were so unrefined, he thought. "Job? Does everyone here work for a living?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Unless you want to run for king of Idaho or something." Faith snorted.

"I advise you refrain from all jests until you know how to properly spin one." Loki narrowed his eyes, a little miffed.

Faith laughed, "Sorry but I can just see you walking up to the governor and saying, "For sooth, I do take reign over all you puny mortals of Idaho, kneel before your glorious King!" she imitated his voice as she grabbed a few more shirts.

Loki turned his back to her, pretending to inspect a rack of bowling shirts, but he smiled to himself. She _was_ kind of amusing.

"Hey, I'm kidding, I like the way you talk, it's very… classy." She smirked.

"Thank you," he replied, nodding his head. "After all I am a prince, no matter my parentage." He said it somewhat bitterly though he pretended to be facetious.

"As a prince, what did you used to do, or what do you do? I mean, what are you good at?" Faith kind of stumbled over her words, mentally kicking herself.

"Causing women to fall over themselves in awe of me."

"Pssh, yeah I'm sure you get all the ladies back home."

Loki's face darkened again, "It isn't my home. I don't have-"

"Here is your home. For now. If you want." Faith said firmly.

Loki watched her as she coughed and went back to looking through a rack of pajama pants and t-shirts.

"Faith," he said, low in the back of his throat. She turned, looking up at him through her lashes, eyes wide.

"Um, yeah"

"You have a "Sale" label on your backside." Loki said, like it was the most serious thing he could say.

Faith stared at him for a minute before she burst out laughing. Loki's face widened into a smile.

She stifled a gasp as he laughed. He had the most amazing smile. She made a promise to herself to make him do that more.

When they had picked out armfuls of options, they went to the dressing rooms. Faith called over the sales clerk, Mike.

"Ok, so just try on a pair of pants, and a shirt, and if they fit alright, come out and show us." She said, dumping her pile of clothes into Loki's arms.

"I'm not a child Faith, just unaccustomed to such ridiculous apparel."

He said, glancing at Mike with a hint of reproach.

"Hey don't look at me, I just put em on the hangers when folks drop them off!" said Mike. Faith laughed.

"It's _used_ clothing?" Loki glared at Faith. She laughed even harder.

"Just go _on_!" she said, giving him a little shove into the tiny dressing room.

Inside the closet-sized room, Loki allowed himself a moment to think. Perhaps he would let this mortal girl show him what was acceptable on Midgard, but he would not let her boss him around. What had transpired between them, the crackle of magic that had shocked him, was something to consider. He wanted to trust her. But he didn't trust anymore. He hadn't for a long time.

On the other side of the door, Mike leaned over to whisper to faith. "Boy, where'd you dig him up?"

"What do you mean?" she raised an eyebrow and leaned away from the acne-faced teenager.

"He's obviously a city boy, and kinda gay lookin' too. Just wondering how you know him… he obviously doesn't live here."

"Obviously." She huffed. She'd never liked Mike, now that she came to think of it.

Mike laughed, smelling like cigarette smoke, "and he _can't possibly_ be your boyfriend."

Faith's eyes widened. She was just about to snap at the little jerk, when Loki stepped out of the dressing room. He looked great. He had put on a pair of black pants and a dark green button down.

"Why do you not consider me Faith's friend? I'm sure she would prefer me to you."

"Loki, I'm not sure really get it-"Faith started, warily.

"Ha, really? You don't know her very well then do you." Mike puffed up, crossing his arms.

"Yes, we've just met, yet I believe I know her better than the cretin I see before me." Loki spat.

"What?" Mike looked confused. He obviously hadn't graduated high school, thought Faith.

"As I thought, an imbecile." Loki didn't need to roll his eyes to give off an air of contempt.

"Now boys, let's not-" Faith started again, getting annoyed by both males now.

"Hey Pretty Boy, like I said, Faith doesn't _have _boyfriends, she's a loner. Something's wrong with her in that vi-cinety." Mike bobbed his head back and forth. He looked like a dwarf who'd had a run-in with a firethorn bush, thought Loki.

"Excuse me!" Faith yelled, shocked by Mike. She knew some people thought she was sort of different, but… that stabbed at a deeper insecurity.

Loki grabbed Mike by the front of his sweatshirt and raised him almost a foot in the air. "She may not like to be friends with disgusting little boy's like you, but that is a testament to her wisdom. There is nothing wrong with her you vermin, and if you think you can stand in my presence and insult a lady who's company I am keeping, you are even more ignorant than I first assumed."

There was a heavy pause, as Mike struggled for breath.

"Loki…" Faith got a little worried, until he began to set Mike down slowly.

"Now apologize to us both, scum." Mike's face was drained of all its color, and he was choking for air, but he needed no threats to pick up on how Loki fully intended to retaliate, unless he said sorry.

"Sorry Faith. And…you." Mike took a step back, gulping. Loki took the rest of the clothes from the dressing room and stuffed them into one of the large plastic bags from behind the counter.

"Come Faith. We're leaving, and I doubt we will be gracing this establishment with our presence again."

Faith stared at Mike rubbing his throat. She didn't quite know what to make of the situation. On the one hand, Mike was being a complete asshole, and she had no idea why, and on the other hand Loki was defending her like she was a damsel in distress. But someone made her mind up for her.

"Yeah, get out of here. He's probably just as loony as you are. You two make a great pair." Mike yelled hoarsely.

Faith turned slowly, smiled at Mike, and then slapped him. Hard. "Not as good a pair as you and your own hand, Mike."

She grabbed the bag from Loki, whose turn it was to be stunned, and strode towards the door. "And there is no way I'm paying for these." She said calmly, and she and Loki let the door jingle shut behind them.

* * *

**Please, If you read it, review it! Its so important to me! Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4 A Vision

**Let me know what you think, bravo or boo. Hey, even let me know about a story you'd like reviewed! I just need your opinions =)**

* * *

**Chapter IV**

They spent the car ride back to Faith's in silence, glancing at each other every so often. Faith couldn't believe how quickly things had escalated back there. One second they were joking around, the next Loki was strangling Mike! She felt grateful that Loki had defended her, but she was completely capable of doing that herself. This was not like her! She was a calm person, and she liked to take the high road and ignore people who insulted her. She had gotten rather good at it too. People in town had whispered about her for almost 9 years now, the only juicy news for Umpamine in a century. The wild little girl, who no one dared let play with the other children, who wasn't worth keeping so her parents had abandoned her.

She had overcome the whispers, Gran and Gramps had taught her patience and love. And now she was the most popular teacher at the kindergarten, to the children and staff. Certain mothers had issues with her still, but she could ignore their jabs.

But when Mike had lumped Loki in with her, she felt pure, cold fury. She didn't know if it was because she didn't want to be compared to an alien, or if she felt Loki had needed someone to defend him too.

Loki was thinking along totally different lines. He had tried to conjure a snake to coil around the gross little man's neck, but nothing had happened, and he had a lot of trouble lifting him in the first place. Now he was trying desperately to levitate, then to conjure a double of himself. Nothing happened. He was breathing heavily and trying not to panic. Being without his powers was a horrible feeling. He felt even more broken and lost. No wonder he had felt so weak when Faith first found him, somehow by falling through realms he had lost his abilities. No, did that mean he was mortal!

Loki leaned back in his seat. Angry, frustrated, confused and worried. Nothing new, he thought. For a second he wondered if it was alright that he was practically human now, He had developed respect for Faith, and she had even defended herself with style, and she was a tiny Midgardian. But no, he needed answers and something told him he could wait for them. He could sense his magic, like it was hovering nearby, out of sight, gleefully evading him. Things were all right, for now, but he _would_ get his magic back.

* * *

Sunday's in June, when the world seemed sunny, the birds chirped outside the window, and Faith wore pajama's most of the day. She was very attached to her Sunday's, when she could do nothing all day. So she had forced herself not to worry about Loki, he could do whatever she did. She found she didn't have to be worried anyway; he wasn't bored at all like she had thought he might. He spent hours on Faith's slow laptop, after she had showed him how to use Google search, and he perked up bit by bit throughout the day as they watched TV, ate junk food and talked.

Gramps had suggested that Faith bring Loki to help her at work on Monday, and that maybe she could get him a job there if he was up to it. If he wasn't he said he could get him a job at the mechanics. They agreed it was worth a try.

That Monday morning Faith felt drained. She nearly smashed her alarm clock as she got out of bed. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she rammed into Loki in the hall, and she nearly spilled her cup of tea all over her new blouse. So it was with a good self-administered dose of determination that she led Loki into her work place.

He followed her, keeping his eyes open and observing everything. Midgardians behaved so strangely, he thought for the fifth time that morning. Chaos surrounded him. Men and women with young children in tow buzzed around him, dropping children off into classrooms, chatting in the hall, fussing over everything. Loki grimaced at the discordant noise that ricocheted through the halls.

"Faith! Over here!" a middle aged woman called through the melee, waving her hands.

"Wait over there; I'll be just a minute." Faith pointed to an office door that read 'Principle", as she walked over to greet the excited woman.

Loki reluctantly stood by the door, and watched Faith closely, noting her interactions with the people surrounding her. She was calm and happy, directing adults and waving to some of the children.

"Ok, let's get in here." She said as she got back to Loki. She walked in immediately. The door closed behind them, enveloping them in silence. They stood in a small waiting room with a couple chairs backed along one wall.

"I'm going to ask if you can help me today. I work in the daycare on Monday's and Tuesday's, so it shouldn't be too much." Faith paused. "Is this alright with you, I mean,"

"It's fine." Loki gave her a small smile.

"This is probably all kinds of fast for you. It's like, bam you hit earth, then wham "get an occupation" pronto. Must be stressful, I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. It will teach me more about you midgardians."

"Yeah, maybe from now on you should pretend to be one of us, some others might not be as…open minded the way Gramps was." She chuckled.

"Very well, for today, I will be at your command. What do you wish of me, miss?" Loki bowed, hiding his grin.

"Uh, no…you, I mean… just follow my lead, but, uh wait here for now, I have to talk to Mrs. Weller…yeah, I'll just be a minute." Faith hurried through the door to the inner office.

Loki smirked and sat down in one of the uncomfortable chairs. He was trying to convince himself to not feel lost, to just accept that Faith was helping him, that he was going to find a new purpose, but he was having a hard time adjusting so quickly to this life. She was right, this all happened very fast, like it was all planned. Loki got a strange nagging sensation in the back of his mind. He had something to tell Faith, but then he'd forgotten. He resigned himself to be quiet and observant the rest of the day, this was his lot in life, to fall from grace, to lose his home, so now he must work with what he had. _And_, he thought morosely, _be grateful_.

After several minutes Faith emerged from the office smiling, with another, older woman in tow.

"Loki, this is Mrs. Weller, Ma'am, this is my…cousin…Loki…Anderson." She smiled sweetly, stepping behind Mrs. Weller.

"How do you do Ms. Weller."

"A Pleasure, Loki. What an interesting name, where are you from?" She eyed him head to toe, smiling slowly. Loki glanced over her shoulder at Faith.

"He's from…Norway! …A relative of my Grandfathers, he's visiting." Faith said, hoping she sounded confident.

"Yes, how nice, you don't get many visitor's out there much do you? Well Loki, I've grown very fond of Faith over the years, so I'm going to allow her to have you tag along. As for considering you for a permanent position…we'll have to see some credentials and you're …résumé." She drawled.

Faith looked at Loki nervously.

"Thanks Mrs. Weller, I really appreciate it." Faith quipped, and taking hold of Loki's wrist, pulled him out of the room. She dropped it as soon as they entered the hall.

"That was a rather suspiciously quickened exit." Loki said, striding easily to keep up with Faith as she sped down the hall.

"Yeah, well… I don't think she meant 'résumé' when she said 'résumé'. If you get me." She cringed, thoroughly disgusted, and, though she would never admit it, a little bit jealous.

Loki cocked his head to the side, then wrinkled his nose and continued after Faith.

* * *

The day passed slowly for Faith. Children cried, whined, made messes, things she usually took in stride, but today everything got on her nerves. Loki had been a little help, though he was pretty standoffish with the kids.

It grew to be late afternoon, the time of day when the sun shone through the windows, making Faith either drowsy, or gave her a headache. Today it did both. She groaned. She needed a break.

"Loki," he turned to her from where he had been examining a little boy's Hot Wheels. "I need to get some air; I'll be back in a little while."

"No. You really can't expect me to watch over this…_herd_ on my own!" Loki tried to look insulted, though he just felt overwhelmed.

"Oh just read them a book or something!" Faith huffed, and spun on her heel out of the room.

Her fifteen minute break spanned into a half hour, then forty five minutes. It was nearing an hour when Faith jerked awake where she had been sleeping, curled up on the couch in the teachers' lounge. She glanced at the clock. "_Darn!"_ She thought and sprinted out of the room and down the hall. She stopped to catch her breath just outside the door to the daycare. She froze. She couldn't hear anything. Which wouldn't have upset her, accept there were supposed to be about twelve tiny humans rampaging about in the room right in front of her. What had she done, leaving them alone with Loki?

She opened the door slowly, fearing the worst. She gasped. Loki was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall, surrounded by twelve sleeping children. His head was resting against the wall, a book lying forgotten against his knee.

Faith felt like crying suddenly, she didn't know what was coming over her. She put her head against the door frame, keeping silent. Loki had the smallest child, Ava, curled in the crook of his arm, one of her little hands playing with the buttons on his shirt while she slept. His breath gently brushed her hair, and each time it did the little girl twitched.

Faith moved away from the door, sitting on the sill of one of the large windows that lined the hallway. A couple tears slid down her cheeks and she flicked them away. She didn't know why she was crying, she wasn't sad at all. In fact, the little tableau she had just seen made her feel all melty and warm inside, like she was covered in honey. How clichéd, she smiled, I got the "warm and fuzzies".

"Faith."

She looked up quickly at the sound of her name.

"What-"

Loki held his finger to his lips, he still had Ava cradled in his arm, her head resting on his shoulder.

Faith nodded, smiling. He sat down next to her.

"You got a little admirer there." She whispered.

"She insisted on seeing the pictures the entire time I read. I did not have the heart to…to put her down when she began to slumber." Loki looked at the floor sheepishly.

They were quiet for a minute, and then Faith whispered, "I'm sorry I left you high and dry like that. It wasn't very responsible of me. But it looks like you did alright on your own. You must have a way with kids."

"I wouldn't know. I was the youngest…back in Asgard. There weren't many children; there are none in the palace."

"Some people just have a special touch with them. People say I do. I think you do too." Faith leaned against the warm glass of the window at her back.

"They are easy to understand. They are uncomplicated, and easily placated. They don't have complex thoughts, and they don't have purpose yet. All they care about is fun and whatever they desire at the moment…their very peaceful when they sleep, do you not agree?" he breathed, looking bashful again.

"Mmhhm." She nodded, sighing.

Ava stirred and Loki took her back into the classroom closing the door behind him when he returned.

"On Asgard, what is it like at this time of day?" Faith asked her eyes closed.

"Much the same. Although…" he turned towards her, looking out the window. "The sky becomes a paler blue, with tinges of orange and pink. You can see, um, planets and stars all through the day, but they sparkle when the suns drop to this level."

"You have more than one sun? It sounds spectacular. Gosh I'd love to see that." She turned towards Loki, watching him. When he turned to her again, and their eyes met, what felt like an electric shock coursed through them both.

Faith gasped, her eyes falling shut, but in her mind's eye she saw two little boys running through a courtyard towards a garden. She watched as they flopped down on the grass panting. They were watching the sky. Then _she_ saw it, purples and blues swirling amidst planets and stars, covering the huge canvas of the heavens. It was just like she imagined.

Then her vision changed she saw the same two little boys, older now, riding horse like creatures through a vast field. And now she saw the dark haired boy, even tinier than the first time, wrapped in a woman's arms, being rocked on a great wide balcony, under the same sky.

Loki's eyes remained wide opened; he could see Faith reacting, to what he did not know. He felt shock wave after shock wave ripple through his body, and a light blue-green mist surrounded his hands. His powers were returning. His whole body felt stronger for it. For another few seconds he concentrated on it, wrapping it around him and winding it into place. Then it snapped.

Faith's eyes flew opened and Loki met her stare. Her mouth shaped an "O" but Loki was beaming. He gripped her shoulders, elated.

"Faith! Do you realize what that was-"he gushed, but Faith cut him off with a gasp.

"WHAT IN _ODIN'S_ NAME WAS THAT?!"


End file.
